(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of memory access, more specifically, the present invention is a method and apparatus for an efficient display flip for a graphics device.
(2) Related Art
Smooth motion graphics is desirable for display of computer graphics such as for three dimensional animation. In order to ensure delivery of smooth motion graphics, a primary display engine of a graphics device on a computer must be provided with successive next frame data in a timely manner.
A display flip refers to when a primary display engine of a graphics device is ready to process a next frame data for display on a display device. A graphics driver for the graphics device typically provides information for the next frame to be displayed to the graphics device after a display flip occurs. Currently, a processor is required to notify the graphics driver of the display flip status by accessing internal registers of the graphics device to determine when a display flip has occurred. This approach typically involves the processor sending a request to the graphics device.
Display flips occur successively while the primary display engine is processing next frame data for display. The processor is therefore required to initiate numerous read operations to the graphics device for display flip status requiring both processor as well as bus time. The prior art therefore takes bus processing time away from other devices and processor time away from other applications.
A method and apparatus is therefore desired which obviate the need for the processor to perform reads to internal registers in the graphics while still making the display flip information available to the graphics driver.